“I’m locked up in the witch’s castle!”

Okay, I’m not really locked up in the witch’s castle (unless by witch’s castle you mean my own insecurity). And ever since reading Gregory Maguire’sWickedmy image of the Wicked Witch of the West has changed. (if you have seen the musical but not read the book–go read the book!)

But that is not the story for today. Mostly I’m wishing I had true witch magic. I wish I could look into my crystal ball–hey, at least I have one–and see the future. Not even all the future. Just the bit hiding my writing and art. The bit that says (before the sun expands and wipes this corner of the universe out) a few people along the way will read my work–and be inspired to continue the story.

In the meantime, I’ve posted another page of a novel in lake belle and a few comments on my art (some art every day) over where Words Are Art.

Did you know that in Sofia, Bulgaria there actually is a yellow brick road? I’ve walked on it. Well, wouldn’t you?

OH, if you have pictures of that Yellow Brick Road, please share them! Yes, I’d’ve SOOO walked on it. How could you not?

I think I’m with you. While I’ve never wished to be a witch (that I can recall, at least), I’d love to have a time machine and zip ahead to see how things turn out with my writing. (To be honest, though, I’d zip back too and fix some … uh … things, let’s just say.) I think it’s natural for all writers, and when we’re at the point of being ready to show our work to others, it’s especially scary. I don’t know where you’re at in your writer journey, but if I recall, you’ve mentioned submitting queries. That’s kind of scary, at least to me.

In that position — and if the Lord is willing, I will be in that position soon, just gotta get over inertia here — I’d be wishing for a snapshot of the future too. At least a snapshot.

One of the best network mini-series EVER, in The Missus’s and my eyes, was 2000’s The 10th Kingdom. I watched it when it was being broadcast; TM missed most of the first episodes so she never caught on until I rented it on DVD. We watch it on the average of once a year now. (If nothing else, you really should see its title sequence (sorry, you have to sit through a mini-ad first). I think EVERYBODY should see that at least once.)

It’s one of those fairy-tale(ish) retellings. The 10th Kingdom, it turns out, is New York City; the other nine are run by classic fairy-tale sorts of kings and queens. At one point the protagonist — a girl named Virginia — is enchanted and begins to grow… and grow… and grow… until it’s quite too long for her to stand. It, like, fills the whole room. And predictably enough, maybe, although it seems (is) a curse, eventually it helps her escape from a predicament.

And how come it’s always women who get locked up in these lonely towers and such? I guess men are supposed to know instinctively how to get themselves out. Ha ha ha. Sure we do.

Suppose your magic foresight occurred only once, and lasted only 5 minutes — but you could choose the date and time and place you wanted to see…